Koreas target unified march at Asian Games opening ceremony

A worker cleans near a sign for the upcoming 2018 Asian Games, which would be held in both Jakarta and Palembang, Sumatra, in Jakarta, Indonesia September 17, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside/Files

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - Ministers from the two Koreas agreed to push for a unified delegation from both countries parading together in the opening ceremony at this year’s Asian Games in Indonesia, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

At a meeting in Pyongyang on Monday, the North’s Kim Il-guk and his South counterpart Do Jong-whan discussed future sporting collaborations between the nations as tensions heightened by Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions continue to thaw.

The nations marched under a unified flag at the opening and closing ceremonies of February’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and the ministers were optimistic of a similar partnership at the August-September Asian Games, being co-hosted by Jakarta and Palembang.

According to Yonhap, the ministers would be finalising the details after the two countries’ historic summit at the end of April.

“It would be great if we can have working level discussions and start working on specific agreements after the summit at the end of April,” Do told reporters. “I hope sports can lead the way for inter-Korean reconciliation.”

A South Korean delegation travelled to Pyongyang on Saturday in a reciprocal cultural visit after North Korea sent performers to the South for the Winter Games.

A taekwondo presentation preceded performances from K-pop stars, including Red Velvet, in the North Korean capital.

The neighbours are technically still at war after the 1950-53 conflict ended with a ceasefire, not a truce.